Contract status: Waiting to clear salary cap space, the Cowboys are one of five teams that have not signed any of their draft picks. The first cornerback selected last year was Claiborne’s former LSU teammate Patrick Peterson. The fifth overall pick signed a four-year, $18.5 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals. Peterson’s deal also has a team option for a fifth year.

2011 review: Claiborne intercepted six passes and deflected another six en route to winning the 2011 Jim Thorpe Award, which is given to the nation’s top defensive back. The 2011 consensus first-team All-American started all 14 games, was a significant factor in LSU winning the Southeastern Conference title and reaching the 2012 BCS National Championship game. He regularly lined up against opponents’ top receivers and led the country in interception return yardage with 173.

2011 grade: A

2012 Outlook: Claiborne’s impact as a rookie will rely heavily on how he recovers from surgery on torn ligaments in his left wrist. In the last month, he has had the pins and cast removed but he is still a couple of weeks away from beginning therapy. Claiborne, who is limited to conditioning drills, is expected to miss all of OTAs and minicamp. He should be back in time to be a full participant at training camp, which begins in July.

If everything goes as planned with his wrist, there’s no reason not to expect Claiborne to start Week 1 against the New York Giants. Rob Ryan’s aggressive defensive style is designed to create turnovers and that’s precisely why the Cowboys traded up to No. 6 to snag the LSU standout.

“One of the main reasons I think the Dallas Cowboys haven’t been to a Super Bowl in some time is because of their secondary,” said NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock. “Morris Claiborne is a special corner. He’s got the best ball skills of any corner coming out in the last several years. This is a rare athlete.”

After the Cowboys traded the No. 14 and No. 45 overall picks to the St. Louis Rams for the opportunity to select Claiborne, team owner and general manager Jerry Jones revealed that Claiborne was the No. 2 overall player on the Cowboys’ draft board, trailing only top pick Andrew Luck.

Jones added: “I think he’s the most consensus pick and the most consensus move I can ever remember on our draft day.”